Another turnaround for Princeton jughandle project

Google MapsRoute 1 near Washington Road and Lower Harrison Street in West Windsor.

Following a public outcry, the state Department of Transportation has decided to postpone a number of highway changes along Route 1 that may become permanent if they improve traffic flow.

The DOT study would cut off access to Princeton from the northbound lanes of Route 1 at the Harrison Street and Washington Road intersections.

The proposed four-month trial program stirred up a protest from a Princeton Borough group representing government, business and health care leaders. The DOT has also held public meetings in Princeton and West Windsor to gauge public sentiment.
Yesterday, the DOT announced the study will begin Aug. 1 as opposed to the earlier date of mid-March.

“The reason we pushed it back was to address some of the concerns. We had really productive meetings with residents, with stakeholders, with the business community, and we will be addressing concerns and suggestions between now and the start of the pilot on Aug. 1,” DOT spokesman Joe Dee said.

Pushing the date of the pilot program back also provides time for motorists to settle into new traffic patterns that will accompany the May 22 opening of the new University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro, the DOT said.

The new hospital is located along Route 1 just north of the Harrison Street intersection.

Moving the pilot program to Aug. 1 means it would start when there’s less highway congestion because school won’t be in session and many people may be on vacation, Dee said.

“It’ll be a soft start, but the pilot will be going after Labor Day, when everything is in full swing with students back to universities and public schools and people are back to work,” Dee said. “We had planned to start in March, but this still works for us.”
During the community meetings, some expressed concerns about traffic congestion during the pilot program, Dee said.

A group of professionals and government leaders who met with the DOT Tuesday
said the changes would interfere with the spring business season in Princeton Borough. They also argued the traffic counts would not be reliable because the Plainsboro hospital startup would occur during the study and traffic patterns would inevitably change.

The hospital move from downtown Princeton is expected to redirect 1,000 to 1,500 daily hospital trips.

Local mayors have expressed worries the jughandle closures will send more traffic streaming into downtown Princeton on alternate streets, overburdening such arteries as Faculty and Alexander roads.

The pilot program is planned to run for 12 weeks. If it’s not successful in easing local congestion the old traffic routes may be restored, the DOT has said.